Home Textiles Today articles from December 2004

Home Textiles Today archives from December 2004

Springs to shut plants, lay off 540.
December 6, 2004... FORT MILL, S.C. -- Swept up in the rolling retrenchment of all American textiles industry, crowded by imports, Springs Industries Inc., the nation's single-largest home fashions supplier, said it will shut down two bedding plants, laying off...

Group sues to keep gov. from considering China safeguards.
December 6, 2004... NEW YORK -- The U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA)--a trade association representing domestic retailers, importers and distributors of textiles and apparel goods--filed an injunction Dec. 1 against the U.S....

Retailers see slow start to holiday.
December 6, 2004... NEW YORK -- Domestics launched into the holiday selling season with performances that were at best modest in some stores and weak at others. However, within individual departments, several retailers reported standout items, many of them...

Dan River slashes loss: despite fall-off in home fashions, sales stabilize after series of declines.
December 6, 2004... DANVILLE, VA. -- Hit by $7.9 million in plant closing costs, another $4 million in bankruptcy cy costs, and further squeezed by falling margins, Dan River Inc. recorded a sharply narrowed third quarter loss of $24 million, improving on a...

Holman tapped to lead Macy's Central.(Retail Briefs)(Edwin Holman)(Federated Department Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... Edwin Holman has been hired as chairman and CEO of Federated Department Stores, Inc.'s Atlanta-based Macy's Central division, effective Jan. 10. Holman is returning to Federated after a 14-month hiatus, during which he was chairman and CEO...

Panattoni quits TJX, joins Ross.(Retail Briefs)(Lisa Panattoni)(Ross Stores Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... Ross Stores Inc. has hired Lisa Panattoni as its new senior vice president and general merchandise manager, Home, effective Jan. 3. She replaces Irene Jamieson, who recently announced she will retire in early 2006. Panattoni will report to...

Ikea to open Boston-area store.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... Ikea has broken ground for a new Stoughton, Mass., store that will open in the fall of 2005. The 346,000-squre-foot store--the first Ikea in the Boston area--will feature four model homes and 50 room settings. Ikea currently operates over...

Anna's Linens pushing store count.(Retail Briefs)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... In the Atlanta region this week, Anna's Linens will host its last store opening for 2004--bringing its store count to 171 units. The new unit will measure 9,000 square feet and will be located in the city of Lithonia, a suburb 18 miles outside...

Long-time Bloomie's exec dies: Levine combined theater and fashion sense.(News)(death of Carl Levine)(Obituary)
December 6, 2004... NEW YORK -- Carl Levine, a long-time home furnishings retail executive at Bloomingdale's, died on Nov. 26 at the age of 75 after a long battle with cancer. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, Dec. 9 at the Four Seasons restaurant...

Departments KO discounter's sales: extensive promotions help month-long winning streak continue.(News)
December 6, 2004... New York -- In an abrupt and stunning shift in consumer buying patterns during the crucial post-Thanksgiving shopping spree, shoppers flocked to full-price outlets and shunned the low-price, and often lower-quality, discounters during the...

Natco acquires Jefferson Home.(News)(Natco Home Fashions)(Jefferson Home Fashions)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... WEST WARWICK, R.I. -- Natco Home Fashions has finalized its acquisition of carpet manufacturer Jefferson Home Fashions. Jefferson is the latest addition to Natco's growing roster of divisions, which includes Corona Curtain, Robertson,...

PHI grows licensed artist roster.(News)(Peking Handicraft Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... SO. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. -- Peking Handicraft, Inc. (PHI) continues to grow its roster of licensed artists for decorative accessories, giftware, rugs and quilts with the recent addition of children's book illustrator Patience Brewster and...

Home Source develops MicroCotton sheet.(News)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... ATLANTA -- Home Source International is launching a luxury MicroCotton sheet to coordinate with its 24-color Home & Harmony MicroCotton bath line. A MicroCotton blanket in white and ivory with a chevron weave is also in the works. ...

JCP's Erb to retire after 36 years.(News)(Katie Erb)(JCPenney Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... PLANO, TEXAS -- Close to 200 friends in the industry and colleagues turned out to help Katie Erb celebrate her upcoming retirement from JCPenney. At the nearby Stonebriar Count Club, Deb Evans, vice president, private brands, was the...

Lillian August store highlights Dec pillows: converted factory retains elements of building's original use.(News)
December 6, 2004... NORWALK, CONN, -- A dedicated bed linens department as well as a full decorative fabric shop are important additions to the mix at the Lillian August store that opened here on Dec. 1. The store, the largest in the seven store specialty...

Alexander Julian inspired by apparel.(Fabrics Today)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... NEW York -- Using fashion "as a fast track," Alexander Julian has gone back to designs he created for women's and men's apparel to identify color and patterns that appeal to both men and women. In his debut collection of decorative fabrics...

Heritage plans some tweaking for ITC: plans in place to streamline high-end fabric importer's supplier base.(Fabrics Today)(International Textile Corp.)(Heritage House Fabrics)
December 6, 2004... NEW YORK -- While following the original approach of limited distribution formulated by Bernie Sunshine, founder of International Textile Corp. (ITC), there will be some streamlining at the company under its new owner. Tom Hilb, principal...

Kravet reworks Laura Ashley.(Swatches)(Kravet Fabrics Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... BETHPAGE, N.Y. -- Kravet Fabrics has reorganized the Laura Ashley licensed decorative fabric program that had been under the aegis of Meri Stevens. Stevens, a veteran decorative fabric design and marketing consultant, has headed the...

Shane to represent Cranston collection.(Swatches: Cranston Print Works Co.)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... CRANSTON, R.I. -- John Shane Decorative Sales will represent the new home decorating fabric collection being launched by Cranston, a division of Cranston Print Works. Shane, formerly with The Robert Allen Group, reports to Hedi Fitz, vice...

Rice joins ITG.(Swatches)(International Textile Group)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... GREENSBORO, N.C. -- J. Derrill Rice has joined International Textile Group as president of the Interior Fabrics division, a new position. Rice, who reports to Joseph Gorga, president and CEO of ITG, formerly was president of new businesses...

CBK inks Cristina deal; boosts space.(News)(Cristina Saralegui)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... UNION CITY, TENN. -- CBK, a wholesaler of home decor and accessories, has signed a multi-tiered licensing agreement with Hispanic media mogul Cristina, host of her own national television show and a well-known figure in the Latino community....

Janelle Lampp, Surya create branded line.(News)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... SMYRNA, GA. -- Surya, a supplier of hand-knotted and hand-tufted rugs, has partnered with designer Janelle Lampp to create a licensed collection of rugs. Under the JanelleStyle brand, the collection comprises eight designs--Sunset, Skin...

Soft furniture hard to ignore.(News)
December 6, 2004... LOS ANGELES -- Whether filled with beads or foam, soft furniture is positioning itself as an alternative to traditional chairs and sofas as it moves up the value chain and beyond the juvenile realm. Some vendors of non-furniture products...

Simba brings online custom towels to U.S.(News)
December 6, 2004... MOREHEAD, KY, -- Joining the burgeoning ranks of global towel manufacturers is Simba USA, a new mass producer of single-run Egyptian cotton towels that can be designed, customized and purchased entirely online. Each towel can be...

Cody Home expands.(News)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... NEW YORK -- Decorative pillow manufacturer Cody Home has expanded into Toskana shearling throws and area rags designed to work back to its dec pillow lines. The items are made from animal hides and feature distinctive markings. Some...

Keeco moves to larger digs at 295.(Showroom)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... SO. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. -- Keeco LLC officially moved into a larger space last week on the second floor of 295 Fifth Ave., suite 206. "The new showroom space is more open, functional and much more flexible, which enables Keeco to show all...

Calendar.(Calendar)
December 6, 2004... January 10-13 Showtime Market Square Textile Tower High Point, N.C. (336) 885-6842 www.itma-showtime.com 11-20 Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market AmericasMart Atlanta (800)...

Hall to lead Mascioni's U.S. subsidiaries.(People Today: John Hall)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... NEW YORK -- Mascioni S.P.A. has appointed John Hall to the position of president and CEO of its U.S. subsidiaries--Mascioni USA, Ltd., and Mascioni Hospitality, Inc. Most recently, Hall was vice president of Brand Development at Group 3...

Sphinx hires Belardi, Harlow resigns.(People Today)(Sphinx by Oriental Weavers:Bill Belardi and Linda Harlow)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... DALTON, GA. -- Sphinx by Oriental Weavers recently promoted Bill Belardi to the newly created position of director of sourcing. Before joining Sphinx four years ago as its import manager, Belardi served as a consultant to the import...

Letter to the editor.(Letter to the Editor)
December 6, 2004... To the editor: Recently, Home Textiles Today published an issue that paid tribute to 25 people who helped shape the industry favorably during the past 25 years. There was one omission--namely, Ephraim Bloch of Perfect Fit Industries Inc.,...

Ross names new SVP, CIO.(People Today)(senior vice president, chief information officer)(Brief Article)
December 6, 2004... PLEASANTON, CALIF. -- Ross Stores has named Michael Kobayashi senior vice president and chief information officer, effective Dec. 16. Kobayashi will report to Jim Peters, the president and chief operating officer. Kobayashi spent the...

Confidence continues slide in November.(Business Today)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 6, 2004... NEW YORK -- Consumer confidence took an unexpected slide during November, wiping out analysts' expectations for a comeback, and tumbled for a fourth straight month, hampered by a weakening jobs outlook. The Conference Board's widely...

A weak Black Friday for retailers.(Business Today: Retail trade)
December 6, 2004... NEW YORK -- Even with the help of the single-biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday, key American retailers turned in a lackluster sales performance during November, getting the all-important holiday season off to a spotty start. ...

Same-store sales.(Business Today)(Illustration)
December 6, 2004... SAME-STORE SALES NOVEMBER SALES FOR KEY RETAILERS Four weeks ended Nov. 27 (a), (dollar amounts in millions) 2004 2003 SALES SALES ...

Wall Street watch: for the week ended December 2, 2004.(Business Today)(Illustration)
December 6, 2004... MANUFACTURERS & SUPPLIERS CLOSE % CHG % CHG. COMPANY 12/2/04 THIS WEEK YEAR-TO-DATE Cone Mills (N) 0.00 0.00% -96.44%...

Market snapshot.(Business Today)(Illustration)
December 6, 2004... MARKET SNAPSHOT HTT Stock Dow Jones Index * Industrials 2660.06 10585.10 -3.34% .62% NASDAQ S&P Industrial 500 2143.57 1190.33 1.95% ...

Wal-Mart's costly gamble.(Opinion Today)
December 6, 2004... FOR RETAIL ANALYSTS, Wal-Mart's Black Friday fumble was both a surprise and a curiosity. But for Wal-Mart suppliers, the slack start to the season could spell the collapse of their own fourth-quarter profits--if the situation isn't righted...

Selling Christmas.(Opinion Today)
December 6, 2004... IT WAS OVER the meadow and through the woods on Thanksgiving eve, and even before the turkeys came out of the fridge, the Cbristmas decorations were oil the lawns on the way to upstate New York. Talking with others around the country, this...

WPS gets Charisma.(WestPoint Stevens Inc.)
December 13, 2004... WEST POINT, GA. -- The licensing of Charisma to WestPoint Stevens settles the fate of the fourth and final of Pillowtex's fashion brands in the wake of the latter mill's 2003 liquidation. Charisma was the smallest of the four, with mill...

Madden, Cowie help Penney registers ring.(J.C. Penney Company Inc., Chris Madden Home, Colin Cowie)
December 13, 2004... PLANO, TEXAS -- At JCPenney, the Chris Madden Home and Colin Cowie collections, along with a growing synergy between the retail and direct-to-consumer businesses, are major contributors to the home divisions' sales increases this year. ...

Pillowtex hires Platt as managing director.(Rick Platt )
December 13, 2004... NEW YORK -- Official Pillowtex LLC, owner of the now-defunct mill's assets, has taken the first step in bringing management of the brands in-house by hiring Rick Platt as managing director. Platt, who most recently was senior vice president...

Heimtextil to be a Dreamland.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... FRANKFURT, GERMANY -- Noted Italian designer and architect Paola Navone will create the settings for Dreamland at Heimtextil here, held from Jan. 12 through 15. The Dreamland settings will be featured in halls 9.1 and 9.2 --the new halls...

BJ's taps Hilson for global sourcing.(BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., Jim Hilson)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. has promoted Jim Hilson to vice president of global sourcing. In his new role, Hilson will be responsible for developing and improving the company's merchandise sourcing capabilities on a worldwide basis for all...

HSN names Ethier new COO.(Mark Ethier, chief operating officer)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Mark Ethier has been promoted to chief operating officer of HSN U.S. Ethier joined HSN in June 2001 as executive vice president of operations, where he was responsible for managing HSN's operations including customer care, fulfillment,...

Farley says goodbye to Bombay.(Bombay Company Inc., Steve Farley)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Steve Farley, executive vice president, merchandising and marketing, is leaving The Bombay Company, Inc. to pursue other opportunities. Farley joined Bombay in May of 2002 as senior vice president, marketing, and assumed responsibility for...

Sears faces suit "Made in the USA".(Sears, Roebuck and Co.)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... A group of tool buyers has filed a class action lawsuit against Sears, Roebuck and Co. charging that Sears falsely claimed its Craftsman tool line is "Made in the USA." The suit accuses Sears of false advertising and consumer fraud in a...

Saks to close Missouri store.(Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises (SFAE), a business segment of retailer Saks Incorporated, will close its 77,000-square-foot Saks Fifth Avenue store located at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Mo., by the end of February. SFAE recently...

Homestead combines with London Fog.(London Fog Industries Inc., Homestead Fabrics Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... NEW YORK -- Homestead Fabrics Ltd. has become a subsidiary of outerwear maker London Fog Industries, and Homestead President David Greenstein has become the combined company's new CEO. "We are building on an entrepreneurial company that can...

A grateful Orian signs with J. Garcia.(Jerry Garcia Estate LLC, Orian Rugs Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... ANDERSON, S.C. -- Orian Rugs has signed a licensing agreement with Jerry Garcia Estate, LLC to design, produce, market, and sell area rugs under the J. Garcia brand. Between 1985 and 1995, Garcia, best known as the lead singer of the...

WPS gets bankruptcy emergence extension.(WestPoint Stevens Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... WEST POINT, GA. -- Seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, and approaching the final stages of negotiations with its creditors, WestPoint Stevens has received from a U.S. Bankruptcy Court a further extension of its exclusive right to come...

ITG and China Ting plan plant.(China Ting Group, International Textile Group)(textile finishing plant)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... GREENSBORO, N.C. -- International Textile Group (ITG) has entered into a joint venture with Hong Kong-based China Ting Group to build a dyeing and finishing plant in the Linping Industrial Area of Hangzhou, China. China Ting is a vertical...

Grange expands into bedding, rugs.(News)
December 13, 2004... NEW YORK -- Grange, the high-end French furniture manufacturer, has been expanding its product mix to become a full-line home furnishings source for the designer market and high-end retail stores. Celebrating its 100th anniversary this...

Down Lite offers terry velvet/suede down throw.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... MASON, OHIO -- Down Lite International has recently developed a 50-by-70-inch microsuede down throw that reverses to terry velvet with grey duck down fill. The company said estimated pricing on the item will be $50 to $75, based on the...

Nygard Home on the way.(Londen Inc., Nygard International Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... TORONTO -- Nygard International is launching the Nygard Home line of soft home fashions in partnership with soft home furnishing manufacturer Londen Inc. Nygard Home is a soft home furnishings line of bedding and bathroom towels designed...

Sphinx to debut collections in Atlanta.(Sphinx by Oriental Weavers)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... DALTON, GA. -- Sphinx by Oriental Weavers will show two new machine-made collections and new looks in the Andy Warhol Home and Serenity collections at the Atlanta Rug Market in January. Sphinx's Lava Collection features contemporary flair...

Chateau Home launches Bella Rose.(Chateau Home Furnishings )(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. -- Family owned and operated home textiles company Chateau Home Furnishings has launched a new luxury home textiles line, Bella Rose. Bella Rose is available to retailers with six top-of-bed bedding collections,...

NRF maps out Expo.(News)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON D.C. -- The National Retail Federation will hold its 94th annual Convention and Expo from Jan. 16 to 19 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. The show will feature a series of sessions aimed at exploring trends in the...

The Americans are coming!(News)(Heimtextil)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... FRANKFURT, GERMANY -- Thirteen American exhibitors will be participating in the two pavilions organized by the U.S. Department of Commmerce at Heimtextil here Jan. 12 through 15. Seven exhibitors in the decorative fabrics pavilion will be...

ShanghaiMart launching spring show.(ShanghaiMart Home Textile Fair )(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... SHANGHAI -- ShanghaiMart, Asia's largest wholesale mart, is launching an international home textiles fair in the spring. The ShanghaiMart Home Textile Fair will take place April 25 to 27, 2005, at the Mart. It will launch with "several...

Maples adds to its stainless reputation in the industry.(Advertisement)
December 13, 2004... Scottsboro, Alabama -- Maples, the industry's leading manufacturer of tufted accent, area, and bath rugs announces an exciting new relationship with STAINMASTER[R], the prominent brand of high-quality luxury floor coverings. This new...

Wearbest Sil-Tex ups performance.(Wearbest/Sil-tex Mills Ltd.)
December 13, 2004... NEW YORK -- With the launch of its proprietary high-performance fabric collection pegged for next month's Showtime, Wearbest Sil-Tex is expanding its distribution, design and pricing horizons. "About 18 months ago, we decided to go outside...

The Showtime must go on --a little earlier this year.(Swatches)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Showtime has changed its kickoff time for the January event to noon on Sunday, Jan. 9, rather than the typical Monday opening at 8 a.m. The new opening will be repeated for subsequent July and January events from now...

High Five opens showroom number two.(High Five Textiles)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... NEW YORK -- High Five Textiles has opened a showroom here at 267 Fifth Ave. The 1,000-square-foot showroom is on the eighth floor and is the second for the group. High Five has its headquarters in South Plainfield, N.J., and a showroom in...

IFDA rings in the holidays.(News)(International Furnishings and Design Association)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... The International Furnishings and Design Association gathered at the Gramercy Park Hotel in Manhattan to toast the season with an "Edith Wharton Holiday Celebration" and charity auction. The occasion also saluted the Mount, the Georgian-style...

Calendar.(Calendar)
December 13, 2004... January 10-13 Showtime Market Square Textile Tower High Point, N.C. (336) 885-6842 www.itma-showtime.com/ 11-20 Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market AmericasMart Atlanta ...

Vice chairman Coughlin leaving Wal-Mart: longtime executive will continue on company's board until June 3.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Thomas Coughlin)
December 13, 2004... BENTONVILLE, ARK. -- Thomas Coughlin, vice chairman of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., will retire on Jan. 24, after over 25 years with the company. Coughlin began his Wal-Mart career in 1978 in the company's security division, and was named vice...

Jacobs no longer at Keeco.(Jeff Jacobs)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... So. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. -- Jeff Jacobs, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Keeco LLC, is no longer with the company. According to Brian Karr, Keeco's chief operating officer, the company's recently appointed national...

BJ's hires Roberts as SVP, real estate: former Home Depot exec brings 25 years of experience.(BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., John Roberts, senior vice president)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... NATICK, MASS. -- John Roberts has joined BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. as senior vice president of real estate and property development. He will be responsible for the company's real estate division, reporting to BJ's President and CEO Michael...

Retail Ventures charts negative territory.(Business Today)
December 13, 2004... COLUMBUS, OHIO -- Hobbled by falling same-store sales and sharply rising costs, Retail Ventures Inc., parent of Value City and Filene's Basement, recorded a $940,000 third quarter loss, con> pared with a prior-year profit of $901,000. ...

Housing starts strong gainer.(Business Today)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Supported by persistently low mortgage rates, the American housing market held relatively steady during October, but only the forward-looking measure of housing starts managed a strong gain, reversing a slide the prior month,...

Low rates encourage home builders.(Business Today)(mortgage developers)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... WASHINGTON I With mortgage rates low and the economy showing signs of ticking up, home-builder confidence remained sturdy during November, said a canvass by the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo Bank. The monthly...

Sales lag as consumers bide their time.(Johnson Redbook Index)
December 13, 2004... NEW YORK -- It's starting to look like Santa is coming late again this year, with sputtering sales during the first week of December getting the all-important holiday season off to a sloppy start as consumers trained to wait for bargains sat on...

Rising sales boost Costco profits.(Business)
December 13, 2004... ISSAQUAH, WASH, -- Helped by a double-digit gain in sales, first fiscal quarter profits at Costco Wholesale Corp. shot up 20.6 percent, to $193.2 million from 5160.2 million a year ago. Sales climbed 10 percent, to $11.3 billion from $10.3...

Wall Street watch for the week ended December 9, 2004.(Business)(Illustration)
December 13, 2004... WALL STREET WATCH FOR THE WEEK ENDED DECEMBER 9, 2004 MANUFACTURERS & SUPPLIERS CLOSE % CHG % CHG. COMPANY 12/9/04 THIS WEEK YEAR-TO-DATE ...

Making a list.(Opinion Today)
December 13, 2004... AROUND HERE, we like lists--top retailers, top U.S. suppliers, top importers, top exporters to the United States and so on. But as the market continues to evolve and companies of all sizes spread their tentacles to other parts of the globe, it...

Reading the marketplace.(Opinion Today)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... THIS IS TURNING OUT to be a wild and wooly holiday season in home textiles, as well as all of retailing. And this is just from a consumer's point of view, not the impact of certain specific retail crises on the overall marketplace. A...

Penney expands Castella's role.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... PLANO, TEXAS -- Steve Castella, senior product manager for window coverings at JCPenney, has added the rest of soft home to his responsibilities. Castella assumes the duties of Katie Erb, who is retiring. He continues to report to Deb...

Atlanta to feature youth showroom.(News)(Brief Article)
December 13, 2004... ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA. -- Youth furnishings veterans California Kids, Creative Images, Fun Rugs, One World and My Room will debut a new joint showroom at the January Atlanta Gift & Accessory Market. 'The Kids Market' concept showcases products...

Hoffman Mills to close; confusion abounds as date for shuttering approaches.(News)
December 20, 2004... SHIPPENSBURG, PA. -- The planned closing of Hoffman Mills, Inc. (HMI) between Feb. 15 and 28 is creating confusion among its customers in furniture, home textiles and retailing. Richard Hoffman, CEO of the mill, has been unavailable for...

Leto to lead Mervyn's.(News)(Appointments)
December 20, 2004... HAYWARD, CALIF. -- Five months after coming under new ownership, promotional mid-tier department store Mervyn's has moved swiftly to appoint a new CEO and chief merchandising officer to steer it into the New Year. The company announced its...

Grosfeld quitting Sure Fit.(News)(Resignations)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... NEW YORK -- After four mouths spent dividing his time between his own business in Miami and serving as CEO of Sure Fit, based here, Salo Grosfeld is planning to step down from the latter position. Grosfeld took the helm at Sure Fit in...

China's tariff plan execs struggling to understand.(News)
December 20, 2004... NEW YORK -- Home textiles sourcers spent last week in frequent contact with their offices and agents in China following an unexpected Dec. 12 announcement by China's Commerce Ministry that it will impose export tariffs on some textiles and...

Bailey named DMM at Bloomingdale's.(Liz Bailey promoted to divisional merchandise manager)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... Liz Bailey has been promoted to vice president, divisional merchandise manager for domestics at Bloomingdale's. Bailey succeeds Laurene Gandolfo, who joined Federated Merchandising Group as senior vice president, home. Bailey reports to...

Fred's names Fennema EVP, GMM.(James Fennema appointed)(general merchandise manager)(Brief Article)
December 20, 2004... James Fennema, a 30-year veteran of the retail industry, has joined Fred's Inc as executive vice president and general merchandise manager. Michael Hayes, CEO, said, "For more than 10 years, he has built a strong reputation for merchandise...